Bloodspell by Amalie Howard

The spell was simple... ''Cruentus Protectum'' (''Defend the Blood'')
But what do you do if your blood is your enemy?
Victoria Warrick has always known she was different. An outcast at school, she is no stranger to adversity. But when she receives an old journal for her seventeenth birthday, nothing prepares her for the dark secrets it holds--much less one that reveals she's a witch with unimaginable power.

What's more, when she meets the dazzling but enigmatic Christian Devereux, she has no idea how much her life is about to change. Enemies will hunt her. Friends will turn on her. The terrible curse that makes her blood run black will stop at nothing to control her. And Christian has a sinister secret of his own...

Without knowing whom to trust, can Victoria survive her blood's deadly desires? Or will she lose everything, including herself?



Bloodspell is a fun book to read. Although not the most original of stories, it is written in an interesting manner that keeps the reader engaged until the very end.

Victoria, the protagonist, is a complex young woman who is struggling with her identity and with the powers she appears to possess. Throughout the novel, we see her mature, learning and accepting who she is, and becoming a much stronger person. For me, that is an example of a well crafted character: when he or she actually progresses with the book’s pages. Christian, Victoria’s love interest, is a bit more one-dimensional. He is the classic vampire, with the classic angst that comes with being one, which disappoints a bit. Despite that, their interactions are captivating, and we can’t help but root for the two of them to work it out.

One thing that really struck me was how well-written the fight sequence at the end was. There is a nice sense of pacing, with lots of tension to keep readers turning pages as quickly as possible. These types of scenes are not easy to write, so I was happily surprised by its execution.

If you like lots of romance along with your paranormal beasties, then this one is definitely for you.